Bill Tieleman is one of BC's best known communicators, political commentators and strategists.
Bill writes a politics column Tuesdays in 24 Hours newspaper and The Tyee online magazine.
Bill has been Communications Director in the B.C. Premier's Office and at the BC Federation of Labour.
Bill owns West Star Communications, a consulting firm providing strategy and communication services for labour, business, non-profits and government.

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Key Basi-Virk Crown witness Brian Kieran back in communications & public affairs business but says no connections with BC government

A former lobbyist who is now a key Crown witness in the B.C. Legislature Raid corruption trial has opened a new business providing communications and public affairs advice, including “monitoring the provincial legislative agenda”.

But Brian Kieran said in an exclusive interview with 24 hours that he is neither lobbying the B.C. Liberal government nor has any clients with connections to it.

Court documents allege that Bornmann and Kieran provided money and benefits to former B.C. ministerial aides David Basi and Bob Virk in exchange for confidential government information about the $1-billion sale of B.C. Rail. Pilothouse had been retained by OmniTRAX, one of the bidders.

Bornmann is also a key Crown witness and neither he, Kieran nor OmniTRAX face any charges, nor have the allegations been proven in court.

Kieran Communications advertises a wide range of services on its website, including media relations, crisis communications and public affairs but Kieran says he is “very much in semi-retirement” and that the firm was set up about a year ago.

“I carry no clients with any connection to the provincial government,” Kieran said in a phone interview from his Pender Island home.

That doesn’t surprise NDP MLA Leonard Krog.

“I’d be astonished if Mr. Kieran was doing business with the government,” Krog said. “I doubt the world will beat a path to his door.”

Kieran says he hopes the trial will begin as planned in the spring.

“I’d love to get into court and tell my side of the story,” he said. “I’ve been waiting to get this all behind me.” Kieran has previously said search warrant information might “lead to assumptions” that would not be made if the full facts were available but has not elaborated.

Kieran also said he has not talked to Bornmann in about five years and has no idea when the trial might begin.

“I haven’t heard from the Crown ever in the case. I’m pretty much in the dark,” he said. “If it goes ahead in the spring I’d be very, very pleased.”

Krog, critic for the Attorney General, blames the B.C. government for the delays in the trial.

“The delay goes right to the government. Production of documents and provision of information is directly this government’s responsibility,” Krog says.

This story appears in 24 hours newspaper and online Thursday October 29, 2009

If he was not involved in the criminal activity why continue to persecute? Seems to me that a piece about how he has been wrongfully tied into a very big mess, and I assume suffered unfairly from it, would give you fair claim to balanced reporting on the scandal.

Bill Tieleman and Senator Larry Campbell, former Vancouver mayor

Jim Sinclair, Cindy Oliver, Ken Georgetti and Bill Tieleman

Bill Tieleman's coverage of the Basi-Virk/BC Legislature Raid Case praised by other journalists:

"This outstanding piece of journalism, in The Tyee, is the work of a journalist who has been deeply involved with this issue from the start and this article should be passed on as far and wide as possible."

"Bill Tieleman from 24 hours . . . . If you want to know about this trial and about this case, you have to read his blog – I mean, that’s just all there is to it – it’s required reading if you want to understand the BC Legislature Raid situation."

- Mike Smyth, columnist, The Province

"The Basi-Virk case....you’ve probably sat through more of these hearings and gone through more of the files and written about it than any other journalist in the province."

- Bill Good, host, The Bill Good Show, CKNW/Corus Radio Network

"Tieleman ...has done a first-rate job covering the trial."

- Paul Willcocks, columnist, the Victoria Times-Colonist

"Tieleman, who marries a considerable journalistic talent with one of the smartest political minds in the province, has been writing more web-exclusive material. And his coverage of the Basi-Virk trial is a must-read -- whether you're an insider or an outsider."

"24 Hours, the Vancouver paper that has been leading the coverage, as well as the hints of conspiracy in B.C."

- Norman Spector, columnist, Globe and Mail

"Although the major media in this circumstance has been giving the case significant coverage, Tieleman's reports on his blog have been outstanding.

The entire cut and thrust of legal wrangling and arguments has been covered and is accompanied by considered analysis.....His blog site coverage of the Basi-Virk trial is the most in depth treatment of one of British Columbia's biggest political scandals."

- Bill Bell, columnist, The North Shore News

"Mr. Tieleman has published online dispatches which, freed from the limitations of newsprint space or broadcast time, can run at length. They also remain available for those select readers who become obsessed with a case also known as Railgate.....

In another bizarre twist to a story with no shortage of them, Mr. Tieleman went to work one day in December only to discover his office had been ransacked. Bookcases had been tipped over and papers strewn, but nothing was missing.

To top it off, a press kit for the self-published novel The Raid, written by a retired military officer in Metchosin and featuring on its cover a photograph from the 2003 police raid, had been left in a conspicuous place."

- Tom Hawthorn, columnist, The Globe and Mail

Nobody has followed the Basi-Virk affair over its past five years with greater diligence than local journalist, Bill Tieleman....Tieleman deserves our thanks, a fistful of journalism awards and some merit citation for citizenship.